Watch a 17 year old learn to make knives.

The 14C28N has arrived but I haven't had a chance to start it yet. I am still removing scratches from the TD blade so it can be heat treated. I think next time I'm going to buy it ground so there is no scale either, it isn't too bad but it is extra hassle. I'm eating through sandpaper right now. The 304 came today and I'm waiting on the 6mm tube. It's getting exciting but I wish I could sand faster. I have backorders now so I feel official even though I'm not really.

I guess tactical though is a bit silly. A boning knife can be black with a micarta handle and a kydex sheath with tek locks but it won't be tactical. Materials don't define a knife. I try to use tactical only to describe a style really. I should call it tactical style.
 
I know it's slow guys but the sanding takes a while. You wont be getting anything for 3 weeks because I was sliced up yesterday. I'm back in a sling but I'm allowed to play rugby in 4 months so I assume I'll be good as new by then.
 
Liam,
How are you doing from the surgery? Even more important is the term you want to use to describe your style is,
TatiCooooL. With a long exhale at the end of it! LOL.
Heal up buddy!
 
Liam lynch, tacticool knives. There's no point getting a custom knife if it doesn't look cool. The Rambo syndrome is getting less and less over time, I should be quite sensible soon.
 
Liam,
The Tacticool stuff is just getting started! There has been a war on terror since before 9/11 but you now have young folks like you that are 12-20 that have grown up hearing and some living with the wars in Afganistan & Iraq and bombings in country etc. for most of your lives.

I am not debating politics here. Just pointing out that your up and coming generation that you will be building knives for was born Taticool and fashion is just as much of a part of the knife market as hem lines and shoes are to ladies.

So, go for it if you want and be Liam the Tacticool knife maker.
 
Well it's been a while but I'm back to the horse piddle tomorow so I might be out of the sling. Knife time is almost here, I have some catching up to do.
 
Well I have more hospital soon, hopefully ill be allowed to pick up some tools. I have my first ever job interview today at some revolting Kentucky fried chicken joint for £3.72 an hour. I usually do removals with my dad but that's a two arm job, so it's time for me to become butthead.

Well they gone done gave me the wrong time for the interview, I'm still just as unemployed as before.
 
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It's been a while since I've been on because of some content blocker, the parents didn't put it there so I can only assume its something to do with our ISP being part of this new nationwide content ban that our PM wants. Apperenly this site is all about weapons and the only way to reduce crime is to limit our ability to discuss pieces of metal with a very fine edge.

Back to knives, I've had another order, schools calming down and my arm works fine again. There seems to be a local shortage of 320grit but I'm working around it. The knives are getting there and should be done soon. Just a whole lot of polishing which I assume you've all seen before.
 
I'm having trouble with the pictures but I've made progress lately. The Tassie Devil is ready for HT, the Pict is nearly profiled as is the razor, I'm doing another SAK handle for fun as well and I've got that skinning knife ready forHT as well. I've been playing Indy and made another whip. It came out much cleaner and I turned the end of the handle at school.

Hopefully I'll sort pictures of it all in the next day or so
 
Pictures are still a bit useless as is the state of my Internet but here is a bit of an update, the pict is halfway ground and I've done the swedge, I think I'm getting the hang of this grinder but one with more power and less rattling and jumping would be nice. I tried to make a filing jig and decided it was a waste of time.
 
Tassie Devil Mk.I (2).jpgTassie Devil Mk.I (1).jpgimage.jpgI haven't posted in a while but I've now officially left school so i have a spare three months before uni. I managed to get the Tassie Devil finished and shipped. I forgot to take pictures but the guy sent me these two, hopefully I get some of the sheath because it turned out nice. I'ts a good feeling knowing you went from a bar of steel to a knife which will last for ages. The handle is Tasman blackwood with 304 pins and 316 tube. I made the sheath a black leather crossdraw.
 
Hello Liam,
Great to see your finished knife. The handle looks like it would fit well. :35::35::35:
OK! It's now time to make another one!
 
Great to see some updates from ya. Looks like your making great progress. And there is nothing like the feeling you get when ya complete a knife and it turned out just like you had envisioned it in your mind B4 you started!

Stay Sharp
Randy
 
LiamLynch said:
.......I tried to make a filing jig and decided it was a waste of time.
Click to expand...

I don't think I'd say making a filing jig is a waste of time. I'm new at this too, but I made my first knife with a filing jig and when finished, thought I never wanted to see that thing again. But, even though I now have 2x72, it is still very useful. You know how when your new, and your trying so hard to keep those plunge lines perfect, then you have that split second that your mind wanders, and BAM!!! Screwed up the plunge line!!! That's when you can dust off the old filing jig, calm down and very accurately, very slowly, fix the mistake. I also have used mine to add a small swedge, again very accurately. I have used it to draw file a blade that wasn't flat enough off the grinder too.

I don't use it often, but it's hanging there in case I need it. Look up Gough Customs on youtube, he's got a couple excellent videos on making and using a filing jig. Just my 2 cents.
 
Mine was based on Gough's, mine didnt work at all. I found that i can file a whole blade freehand in about 3 hours to a 3/4 height convex so im doing that now. It's better than the grinder i think. I got the grind on my own knife done so I'm on my way to owning one of my knives. I've started building other stuff as well though, namely a longboard. Hopefully the next knife is shipped in a few weeks though.
 
Liam,
Take two pieces of squared stock and tighten them down on the profiled stock where you want the plunge lines with a 1-2" C-Clamp. You have a file guide that will last for one knife. Then true the two pieces of stock again for the next knife.

That's what i used for years.
 
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